Scottish Executive

Animal Disease Surveillance

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of Caseous Lymphadenitis (CLA) have been recorded in Scotland in each of the last five years and what action it takes when CLA is identified within a sheep flock.

Allan Wilson: This is not a notifiable disease requiring incidents to be reported; consequently no records are held centrally.

Autism

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a full response to the Public Health Institute of Scotland's Autistic Spectrum Disorder: Needs Assessment Report.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive set up a Reference Group in June 2002, to advise ministers as implementation of the Public Health Institute of Scotland's Autistic Spectrum Disorders Needs Assessment Report progresses. At the most recent meeting on 3 November 2003, members agreed to publication of a work plan by 1 March 2004, when the group next meets.

Community Care

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct payment applications have been submitted in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) local authority area.

Mr Tom McCabe: Information has been collected since 2001 on the number of direct payments made each year in Scotland (see the answer given to question S2W-5517 on 27 January 2004). However, no information is currently available on unsuccessful applications.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Community Care

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct payment applications, submitted in each year since 1997, have been successful, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) local authority area.

Mr Tom McCabe: The following tables provide information on the number of direct payment clients, by local authority, and by age, for the years ending 31 March 2001, 2002 and 2003.

  Number of Direct Payments, by Local Authority

  

 Local Authority
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03


 Aberdeen City
 4
 4
 11


 Aberdeenshire
 8
 6
 11


 Angus
 4
 23
 30


 Argyll and Bute
 0
 0
 0


 Clackmannanshire
 1
 4
 18


 Dumfries and Galloway
 7
 25
 27


 Dundee City
 0
 0
 0


 East Ayrshire
 0
 0
 17


 East Dunbartonshire
 0
 0
 0


 East Lothian
 5
 7
 7


 East Renfrewshire
 0
 0
 0


 Edinburgh, City of
 67
 49
 89


 Eilean Siar
 0
 3
 5


 Falkirk
 0
 0
 0


 Fife
 30
 64
 120


 Glasgow City
 17
 16
 15


 Highland
 14
 23
 43


 Inverclyde
 0
 0
 0


 Midlothian
 0
 0
 0


 Moray
 0
 5
 7


 North Ayrshire
 0
 0
 0


 North Lanarkshire
 3
 10
 11


 Orkney Islands
 0
 0
 1


 Perth and Kinross
 4
 4
 19


 Renfrewshire
 3
 3
 3


 Scottish Borders
 12
 20
 50


 Shetland Islands
 0
 0
 0


 South Ayrshire
 22
 18
 31


 South Lanarkshire
 0
 0
 0


 Stirling
 0
 0
 0


 West Dunbartonshire
 0
 0
 0


 West Lothian
 6
 8
 19


 Scotland
 207
 292
 534



  Source: SEHD – F1 Return

  Number of Direct Payments, by Age Group

  

 Age
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03


 16-17 years
 -
 -
 8


 18-64 years
 192
 240
 385


 65+ years
 15
 52
 141


 Total
 207
 292
 534

Community Care

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct payment applications for a person with mental illness have been received in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) local authority area.

Mr Tom McCabe: Information on the number of direct payments made to people with mental health problems is collected each year (see the answer given to question S2W-5519 on 27 January 2004). However, no information is currently available on applications which were unsuccessful.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Community Care

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct payment applications for people with mental illness have been successful in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) local authority area.

Mr Tom McCabe: The table provides information on the total number of people with mental health problems receiving direct payments, by age, for the years ending 31 March 2002 and 2003. Numbers are too small to provide a local authority breakdown, as this would breach current guidelines on confidentiality.

  People with Mental Health Problems receiving Direct Payments, by Age

  

 
 16-17 years
 18-64 years
 65+ years
 Total


 2001-02
 0
 6
 0
 6


 2002-03
 0
 9
 1
 10



  Source: SEHD: F1 Return.

Community Care

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value of direct payments has been in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Tom McCabe: The table below provides information on the value of direct payments, by local authority, for the years ending 31 March 2001, 2002 and 2003.

  Value of Direct Payments (£000)

  

 Local Authority
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03


 Aberdeen City
 17
 23
 42


 Aberdeenshire
 21
 28
 44


 Angus
 37
 275
 426


 Argyll and Bute
 0
 0
 0


 Clackmannanshire
 8
 31
 69


 Dumfries and Galloway
 47
 85
 234


 Dundee City
 0
 0
 0


 East Ayrshire
 0
 0
 118


 East Dunbartonshire
 0
 0
 0


 East Lothian
 83
 103
 117


 East Renfrewshire
 0
 0
 0


 Edinburgh, City of
 1,083
 1,177
 1,864


 Eilean Siar
 0
 7
 13


 Falkirk
 0
 0
 0


 Fife
 254
 554
 822


 Glasgow City
 100
 151
 147


 Highland
 67
 174
 447


 Inverclyde
 0
 0
 0


 Midlothian
 0
 0
 0


 Moray
 0
 36
 76


 North Ayrshire
 0
 0
 0


 North Lanarkshire
 13
 156
 177


 Orkney Islands
 0
 0
 1


 Perth and Kinross
 44
 53
 166


 Renfrewshire
 28
 28
 28


 Scottish Borders
 47
 125
 226


 Shetland Islands
 0
 0
 0


 South Ayrshire
 168
 155
 251


 South Lanarkshire
 0
 0
 0


 Stirling
 0
 0
 0


 West Dunbartonshire
 0
 0
 0


 West Lothian
 47
 59
 156


 Scotland
 2,064
 3,220
 5,422



  Source: SEHD – F1 Return.

Community Centres

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding sources are available to help reconstruct, or refurbish, community centres.

Mr Andy Kerr: Primary responsibility for investment in community centres rests with local authorities who receive block allocations of revenue support grant and capital allocation from the Executive, to deploy according to their local priorities. In addition, however, the Scottish Executive offers grants of up to £100,000 through the local capital grants scheme, to assist local voluntary and community organisations, particularly in rural areas, to provide new or upgrade existing community premises for educational, social or recreational activities.

Community Wardens

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4490 by Ms Margaret Curran on 8 December 2003, whether it will provide a breakdown of how the £10 million per annum for community wardens will be spent and what percentage of the estimated total cost of the community warden scheme this figure represents.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive commitment will meet the full cost of those schemes approved by the Executive, up to their indicative allocations. Match funding is not a requirement. Should individual local authorities decide to augment schemes or offer additional schemes, that will be a matter for them.

Concessionary Travel

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will undertake a review of the funding formula, and practice of bus operators, under its local concessionary travel scheme and whether the findings of the review will be taken into account when developing its national concessionary travel scheme.

Nicol Stephen: As part of the implementation of the partnership agreement commitments on concessionary travel, discussions are taking place with key stakeholders on the financial arrangements and re-imbursement mechanisms. Research and analysis will be required to support these discussions.

Council Tax

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on local authorities commencing collection of next year’s council tax in April 2004 rather than May 2004.

Mr Andy Kerr: This is not new. Councils have had the power to start the 10-part instalment scheme in April rather than May since the year 2001-02. I understand that 25 councils made the change in 2001-02, a further 4 in 2002-03, with one more council planning to make the change in 2004-05.

  Regulations were made as a result of a recommendation in the joint COSLA/Scottish Executive Report "It Pays to Pay" in order to help improve in-year council tax collection levels. In-year collection levels have improved as a result of these measures.

Debt

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with COSLA and other interested parties concerning the implementation of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 and what the main issues of concern were in such discussions.

Hugh Henry: Parts 2 and 3 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment Scotland Act 2002 came into force on 31 December 2002. Part 1 of the Act sets out the framework for a national statutory Debt Arrangement Scheme which will be implemented by way of secondary legislation.

  Before drafting these regulations, officials met with interested parties in the field of debt advice and those representing creditors’ interests in order that account could be taken of their views and concerns. During the secondary consultation on the detail of the regulations in the Summer, evidence was taken by the Communities Committee (including from Executive officials) and its report can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/communities/reports/coc03-03-01.htm. Following the close of the consultation period, further discussions have taken place with those organisations which wished to expand on their responses.

  The main issues of concern differed according to the various sectors the organisations represented as can be seen from the report of the meeting of 24 September of the Communities Committee. The response of the Executive to the comments of the Committee has recently been submitted for its further consideration. The letter can be seen with the Committee’s papers once available.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated for addressing drug misuse in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board, expressed also on a per capita basis and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Hugh Henry: The following tables detail the resources allocated to NHS boards for drug treatment services since 2000-01, also expressed on a per capita basis and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

  NHS boards are also free to utilise resources for drug-specific initiatives from their hospital and community care allocations. NHS resources cannot be looked at in isolation. Significant resources have also been made available for drug related work through other funding streams, including local authorities’ Grant Aided expenditure, the Changing Children’s Services Fund, SIPs and criminal justice interventions.

  

 NHS Board
 Allocation 2000-01
 Per Capita1
 Allocation 2001-025
 Per Capita2
 %age Increase


 
 £000
 
 £000
 
 


 Argyll and Clyde
 984
 2.32
 1,111
 2.63
 12.9


 Ayrshire and Arran
 609
 1.63
 737
 1.98
 21.0


 Borders
 118
 1.10
 160
 1.49
 35.5


 Dumfries and Galloway
 124
 0.85
 298
 2.06
 140.3


 Fife
 514
 1.47
 698
 1.99
 35.7


 Forth Valley
 226
 0.81
 462
 1.66
 104.4


 Grampian
 1,085
 2.07
 1,283
 2.46
 18.2


 Greater Glasgow4
 3,670
 4.06
 4,387
 4.86
 19.5


 Highland
 181
 0.87
 300
 1.44
 65.7


 Lanarkshire
 607
 1.08
 862
 1.53
 42.0


 Lothian
 2,922
 3.73
 3,214
 4.08
 9.9


 Orkney
 20
 1.03
 24
 1.24
 20.0


 Shetland
 42
 1.87
 46
 2.07
 9.5


 Tayside
 1,225
 3.18
 1,348
 3.52
 10.0


 Western Isles
 25
 0.92
 43
 1.60
 72.0


 SCOTLAND
 12,352
 2.42
 14,973
 2.93
 21.2



  

 NHS Board
 Allocation 2002-03-04
 Per Capita3
 %age Increase


 
 £000
 
 


 Argyll and Clyde
 1,338
 3.18
 20.4


 Ayrshire and Arran
 987
 2.66
 33.9


 Borders
 162
 1.51
 1.2


 Dumfries and Galloway
 258
 1.79
 -


 Fife
 789
 2.25
 13.0


 Forth Valley
 557
 2.00
 20.5


 Grampian
 1,313
 2.53
 2.3


 Greater Glasgow4
 4,488
 4.99
 2.3


 Highland
 414
 1.99
 38.0


 Lanarkshire
 1,449
 2.58
 68.0


 Lothian
 3,539
 4.48
 10.1


 Orkney
 32
 1.66
 33.3


 Shetland
 55
 2.49
 19.5


 Tayside
 1,483
 3.90
 10.0


 Western Isles
 87
 3.28
 102.3


 Scotland
 16,951
 3.32
 13.2



  Notes:

  1. Based on mid-year population estimates for 2000.

  2. Based on mid-year population estimates for 2001.

  3. Based on mid-year population estimates for 2002.

  4. Funding does not include additional resources of £250,000 allocated to Greater Glasgow NHS Board in 2001-02 or £500,000 in 2002-03 to meet the treatment costs of the Glasgow Drug Court Pilot.

  5. Includes additional one off funding to some NHS Boards from budget consequentials.

Education

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidelines for schools on continuing involvement of both parents in their children’s education following a matrimonial separation.

Peter Peacock: I have made clear my commitment to improving all aspects of parents’ involvement in their children’s education and will consider in that context whether there is a need for specific guidelines for schools on the involvement of separated parents.

Education

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will adopt the Swedish scheme of giving every child membership of a local library and a children’s book at birth and how much such a scheme would cost.

Mr Frank McAveety: A similar scheme already operates in the UK. Bookstart, which was established in 1992, provides the parents of each new-born child with a pack containing an invitation to library membership, advice on reading and two books. In Scotland, this is an inter-agency project, involving close co-operation between Scottish Book Trust, library services and health authorities. Health workers present the pack at six-month assessment, but it is generally library staff in each local authority who run the service.

  28 of the 32 local authorities currently operate the scheme. The remaining four have been encouraged to join, but local partnerships take time to develop.

  The Scottish Executive, through the Children and Young People’s Interim grant Scheme, is providing funding of £190,000 for 2004-05 so that the service can continue, while Bookstart apply for future funding from the New Opportunities Fund.

Environment

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has made on behalf of the Executive to the European Commission to highlight the issues facing the Scottish retail sector in implementing the Animal By-Product Regulation, EC 1774/2002.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has worked closely with DEFRA in the development of this regulation with the EU Commission. Following discussions between DEFRA and the Devolved Administrations, a letter was sent to the Commission on 6 January drawing the Commission’s attention to the practical difficulties faced by the UK retail sector concerning the disposal of raw meat and raw fish.

Environment

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken legal advice on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' interpretation of the Animal By-Product Regulation, EC 1774/2002, that raw meat and fish products are excluded from the transitional arrangements for the scheme, and if so, whether that advice will be published.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive agrees with DEFRA and is satisfied that the provisions contained in the Animal By-Products (Scotland) Regulations 2003 are an accurate interpretation of EC 1774/2002 and the relevant transitional arrangements. It is on this basis that these difficulties have now been raised formally with the Commission, and is consistent with the approach taken throughout the UK. Extensive advisory material has been issued to key stakeholders in Scotland and is also available on the Executive’s website which can be found at

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ERADRA/LAH/00015760/EUABPControls.aspx

Environment

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any information in respect of any loss of (a) urban green space and (b) playing fields, broken down by relevant local authority area, in each year since 1999 and, if not, whether it has any plans to collect such information.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Information on loss of urban green space is not held centrally. We have no plans to collect such information.

  Information on loss of playing fields is supplied to the Scottish Executive through sportscotland. It has not been possible to collate the information requested in the time available. I will ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport to write to the Member once the information is available. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Environment

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers have benefited from the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Grants Scheme, broken down by such zone.

Allan Wilson: Thirty-nine farmers had their applications for grant accepted under the first tranche.

  The breakdown by Nitrate Vulnerable Zone is as follows:

  

 Moray/Aberdeenshire/Banff and Buchan
 16


 Strathmore and Fife
 8


 Lothian and Borders
 4


 Lower Nithsdale
 11

Environment

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of farmers in each nitrate vulnerable zone have (a) applied for and (b) received grants from the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Grants Scheme.

Allan Wilson: 100% of farmers who submitted a valid application under the first tranche of the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Grants Scheme have been offered entry into the Scheme.

Environment

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of land in each Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) has benefited from a NVZ grant towards the cost of slurry storage.

Allan Wilson: It is not possible to determine the percentage of land that may benefit as unlike schemes that are designed to pay grant on a per hectare basis, the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Grant Scheme is for capital improvements. Its aim is to assist farmers in complying with the NVZ action programme regulations. By banning slurry spreading during closed periods, improvements should occur in nitrate levels in surface and groundwater.

Environment

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in its waste awareness campaign.

Allan Wilson: The National Waste Plan 2003 sets out measures for the implementation of waste awareness campaigns throughout Scotland. Each of the eleven area waste plans also includes proposals for improving awareness and attitudes to waste on a local level.

  Progress is being made in a number of ways. The Executive launched the waste element of its "Do a Little, Change a Lot" campaign in September 2002. To date this has involved both television and press advertising and further initiatives are planned this year.

  The Executive also provides support to the Scottish Waste Awareness Group for the development of the "Waste Aware Scotland" campaign. This is a national campaign with cross-sectoral support which is deliverable at a local level. Campaigns are either planned or being delivered in all 32 local authority areas.

Environment

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for its waste awareness campaign.

Allan Wilson: Expenditure to date on the waste element of the Executive’s "Do a Little, Change a Lot" campaign has been approximately £500,000.

  In addition the Executive has provided £50,000 in each of 2002-03 and 2003-04 to the Scottish Waste Awareness Group (SWAG) for the development of "Waste Aware Scotland" campaign materials which are freely available for use at a local level. A further £900,000 over three years will be made available to SWAG for core activities such as development of web-based information on recycling facilities across Scotland, newsletters and further development of national education and awareness materials.

  Local roll-out of ‘Waste Aware’ campaigns is being funded through grants to local authorities from the Strategic Waste Fund.

Environment

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who its advisors were in respect of its waste awareness campaign.

Allan Wilson: The Executive’s "Do a Little, Change a Lot" waste campaign was developed by Barkers Scotland Ltd with input from an advisory group including representatives from the Scottish Executive, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Scottish Waste Awareness Group, Recycling Advisory Group Scotland and Friends of the Earth Scotland. A number of focus groups with members of the public across Scotland were also consulted.

  The "Waste Aware Scotland" campaign, which is run by the Scottish Waste Awareness Group, also has a steering group on which the Scottish Executive is represented. This campaign was developed in response to an extensive public attitudes survey in which over 9000 members of the public were interviewed. Further details are available at www.wascot.org.uk.

Environment

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish Waste Awareness Group played in developing the Executive’s policy on waste awareness and in drawing up the specifications for any tender documents for associated promotional work.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Waste Awareness Group (SWAG) was closely involved in the development of the eleven area waste plans which establish a framework for moving towards sustainable waste management in Scotland. The role of SWAG’s "Waste Aware Scotland" campaign is also outlined in the National Waste Plan 2003.

  SWAG has not been involved in drawing up specifications for any Scottish Executive tender documents. Local authority tender processes are a matter for the local authorities themselves.

Environment

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Waste Awareness Group has bid successfully, or otherwise, for any contracts associated with the Executive's waste awareness campaign at a national or local level.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive’s "Do a Little, Change a Lot" waste campaign is delivered by Barkers Scotland Ltd, one of our roster advertising agencies.

  The Executive is aware that the Scottish Waste Awareness Group bid successfully to Aberdeenshire Council to deliver "Waste Aware" campaigns in the Grampian area. This contract is a matter for the local authorities concerned.

Europe

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has regarding the reasons for (a) Glasgow being unsuccessful and (b) Lisbon being successful in its application for the siting of the European Maritime Safety Agency; who was responsible for Glasgow’s application process and how the application process was conducted; what lessons have been drawn from the process, and what strategy the Executive has to promote the maritime sector in Glasgow.

Nicol Stephen: The location of the headquarters of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) was decided by heads of government at the Brussels European Council on 12 and 13 of December as recorded in the presidency conclusions. There was strong competition from a number of bids for the EMSA headquarters, including Glasgow. The conduct and process of the UK application for Glasgow were the responsibility of the UK Government, and a full bid document was produced in co-operation with the Scottish Executive. The Scottish Executive maintains close contact with the UK Government on a range of EU matters including the process for the siting of European agency’s headquarters.

  The Scottish Executive strategy to promote the maritime sector in Glasgow, and throughout Scotland, is through the ports policies set out in Modern Ports: A UK wide policy, (Bib. number 9874), through encouraging shipbuilding in Scotland, encouraging shipping as a sustainable method of transport, and through regular liaison with the UK Government about reserved shipping polices as they affect Scotland.

Fuel Poverty

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to eradicate fuel poverty among tenants in the social rented sector (a) Glasgow and (b) all local authority areas other than Glasgow who have been unable to benefit from the Warm Deal Initiative as a result of housing stock transfer.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The investment programmes of the registered social landlords which have acquired stock in the three whole transfers to date include a commitment to both central heating and other energy efficiency measures.

  The Warm Deal managed by Eaga delivers insulation measures across all sectors of the housing stock. Local authority stock that has been transferred and the stock of registered social landlords will benefit from that part of the Warm Deal programme.

Further Education

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will initiate a full inquiry into the management of further education colleges, in light of the employment tribunal findings in connection with the Glasgow Central College of Commerce lecturer, Jim O’Donovan.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no plans to initiate such an inquiry.

Further Education

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the industrial relations record of further education colleges and whether the management and industrial relations within these colleges requires a full investigation.

Mr Jim Wallace: Further education colleges are autonomous bodies in terms of the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992 and, as such, industrial relations issues are for the colleges themselves to address. There are no plans to undertake an investigation into either the management of, or the industrial relations within, the further education sector. However, I do expect both management and unions within colleges to promote good industrial relations in order to ensure the continuing efficient and effective delivery of further education to students.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the population in each deprivation quintile has been in each NHS board area in each year since 1998-99.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5323 on 19 January 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many live babies have been born in each deprivation quintile in each year since 1998-99, broken down by NHS board area, expressed as a percentage of all live babies born in that NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is given in table 1, a copy of which has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 30608).

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out into attention deficit hyperkinetic disorder.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for funding and supporting research into health and healthcare needs in Scotland. CSO is currently funding one research project on complementary interventions for children with attention deficit hyperkinetic disorder (ADHD).

  The National Research Register (NRR), a UK wide research database, records that there are a further 10 on-going research projects in the UK on ADHD and 71 completed research projects. Details of these projects are available from the NRR, a copy of which is in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17404).

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any research proposals regarding the effects of medicating children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperkinetic disorder in the last five years and, if so, which proposals were (a) accepted and (b) rejected, and what the reasons were for the decision in each case.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for funding and supporting research into health and healthcare needs in Scotland.

  Within the last five years, CSO has received two outline proposals on this subject, one of which proceeded to a full grant application. This was considered by CSO’s Biomedical and Therapeutic Research Committee but it was rejected as it was not considered to be of a sufficiently high enough standard to merit funding.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any research proposals regarding the effects of dietary intervention on children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperkinetic disorder in the last five years and, if so, which proposals were (a) accepted and (b) rejected and what the reasons were for the decision in each case.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO), within the Scottish Executive Health Department, has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. In the last five years, CSO has not received any research proposals on the effects of dietary intervention on children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperkinetic disorder. CSO would be pleased to consider proposals for research in this area which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

Holyrood Inquiry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what costs it has incurred in connection with the provision of any advice and/or assistance to any witness or witnesses who have appeared, or are to appear, before the Holyrood Inquiry; what meetings have taken place during which such advice or assistance has been provided at which one or more of said witnesses have been present, and whether there has been an appointment, formal or informal, of any persons to co-ordinate the provision of such advice or assistance and, if so, who such persons are.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has incurred costs in relation to the provision of legal support and welfare services which are available to staff under their terms and conditions of employment.

  In terms of meetings that have taken place to provide advice or assistance to witnesses about their appearance, two "familiarisation" visits to the Scottish Land Court were arranged before the start of the public evidence sessions. A number of Scottish Executive witnesses attended those visits, whose purpose was to familiarise staff with the format of the inquiry and the venue. Scottish Executive solicitors have also assisted in the taking of statements from Scottish Executive witnesses for onward transmission to the inquiry. Any meetings which have taken place between witnesses and their own legal or welfare advisers are of course a matter for them and information on such meetings is not held centrally.

  A small team has been set up within the Executive to co-ordinate the submission of documents to the Inquiry and to liaise with witnesses and the inquiry team. Details of that team are available on the Scottish Executive’s Business Directory.

Information Technology

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) public libraries and (b) community centres currently have broadband, broken down by local authority.

Mr Andy Kerr: All 554 public libraries in Scotland are connected to the People’s Network, providing free access to the Internet. Of these, more than 84% (465 libraries) offer broadband internet access at 2Mbs or faster. Connectivity at the remaining libraries is provided over connections ranging from 64Kbs to 512 Kbs, with the majority (around 75%) connected at 128 Kbs. The table shows a breakdown by local authority. The question of broadband provision in community centres is a matter for the local authorities concerned. The information requested is not held centrally.

  

 Local Authority
 Number 
  of libraries with a 2Mbs or faster connection
 Total 
  number of libraries


 Clackmannan
 1
 8


 Dumfries and Galloway
 20
 24


 Dundee
 14
 14


 East Ayrshire
 23
 23


 East Dunbartonshire
 8
 8


 East Lothian
 12
 12


 East Renfrewshire
 5
 8


 Edinburgh
 26
 26


 Falkirk
 7
 7


 Fife
 59
 59


 Glasgow
 32
 32


 Highland
 12
 43


 Inverclyde
 9
 9


 Midlothian
 10
 10


 Moray
 16
 16


 North Ayrshire
 17
 17


 North Lanarkshire
 24
 24


 Orkney
 2
 2


 Perth and Kinross
 8
 13


 Renfrewshire
 17
 17


 Scottish Borders
 5
 13


 Shetland
 1
 1


 South Ayrshire
 15
 15


 South Lanarkshire
 14
 25


 Stirling
 10
 15


 West Dunbartonshire
 10
 11


 West Lothian
 13
 15


 Western Isles
 1
 6


 Total
 465
 554

Information Technology

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines broadband, in the context of provision to schools; how many, and what percentage of, (a) primary and (b) secondary schools currently have broadband; what targets it has set in respect of the provision of broadband in schools, and when it will meet such targets.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive defines broadband, in the context of schools, as a high-capacity, two-way digital link capable of supporting full-motion, interactive video applications. The actual bandwidth required to achieve this benchmark varies according to the number of concurrent users in a school. For schools, 2Mbps is generally regarded as the minimum transmission rate for a broadband connection.

  According to the most recently available Schools’ ICT Survey (September 2002), 13% of primary schools and 49% of secondary schools have a minimum connection of 2Mbps.

  The Scottish Executive’s public sector broadband policy is currently being taken forward in two Pathfinder areas (Highlands and Islands and South of Scotland). Decisions about further implementation of schools broadband will be taken on the basis of lessons learned from the Pathfinder Projects.

Justice

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2480 by Cathy Jamieson on 22 September 2003, when the statistics on offences of careless driving involving a road accident fatality will be available.

Cathy Jamieson: Final data on court proceedings concluded in 2002 are now expected to be available at the end of February.

Local Government Finance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the debt burden is of each local authority in respect of the Public Works Loan Board and how much each authority pays annually to service such debt.

Mr Andy Kerr: The total debt outstanding with the Public Works Loan Board on 31 March 2003, and an estimate of the total interest payments charged annually is shown in the following table. These figures have been supplied by the Public Works Loan Board.

  

 Debt Outstanding 
  with Public Works Loan Board


 Local Authority
 Debt 
  Outstanding
 Estimated


 
 31 
  March 2003
 Interest 
  Payments (2003-04)


 
 £
 £


 Aberdeen City
 309,142,292
 24,063,636


 Aberdeenshire
 313,471,166
 20,845,833


 Angus
 103,939,727
 6,417,239


 Argyll and Bute
 195,537,882
 13,648,544


 Clackmannanshire
 77,119,886
 4,717,423


 Dumfries and Galloway
 225,041,525
 13,833,303


 Dundee City
 249,774,342
 16,295,278


 East Ayrshire
 154,653,446
 10,239,605


 East Dunbartonshire
 100,618,267
 6,852,104


 East Lothian
 137,670,169
 7,882,994


 East Renfrewshire
 78,769,166
 5,542,199


 Edinburgh, City of
 829,602,294
 61,929,811


 Eilean Siar
 182,213,051
 12,869,708


 Falkirk
 155,326,666
 9,843,051


 Fife
 457,571,786
 23,807,460


 Glasgow City
 968,344,138
 66,670,494


 Highland
 504,177,204
 30,855,645


 Inverclyde
 167,531,187
 11,310,030


 Midlothian
 63,207,893
 3,695,765


 Moray
 125,678,556
 8,522,263


 North Ayrshire
 159,410,540
 9,642,744


 North Lanarkshire
 408,276,256
 29,444,884


 Orkney Islands
 0
 0


 Perth and Kinross
 134,889,882
 8,499,411


 Renfrewshire
 268,951,229
 16,527,053


 Scottish Borders
 134,570,844
 8,665,017


 Shetland Islands
 0
 0


 South Ayrshire
 134,635,401
 8,001,382


 South Lanarkshire
 405,280,646
 31,984,749


 Stirling
 144,602,411
 10,253,757


 West Dunbartonshire
 176,448,586
 12,774,878


 West Lothian
 156,547,870
 10,233,534


 Scotland
 7,523,004,308
 505,869,792



  Source: Public Works Loan Board.

Local Government Finance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total (a) revenue generated and (b) annual repayment would be if the loan quota entitlement for each local authority from the Public Works Loan Board was increased by (i) 5%, (ii) 10% and (iii) 25%.

Mr Andy Kerr: This is a matter for the Public Works Loan Board. The information requested is not held centrally.

Local Government Finance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has in respect of underwriting any loan applications made by local authorities to the Public Works Loan Board and how much it estimates the total annual repayments would be if local authorities were authorised to borrow, in total, an extra (a) £500 million, (b) £1 billion and (c) £1.5 billion.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has no powers to underwrite any loan applications made by local authorities. Total annual repayments are a matter for the Public Works Loan Board. The information requested is not held centrally.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many residential care homes dedicated to mental health patients have been closed in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) NHS board area and (b) reason for closure.

Mr Tom McCabe: The table shows the number of residential care homes for people with mental health problems which opened or closed between 1999 and 2002.

  Residential Care Homes for People with Mental Health Problems

  

 
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02


 Health Board
 Closed
 Opened
 Closed
 Opened
 Closed
 Opened


 Argyll and Bute
 
 3
 1
 
 
 


 Ayrshire and Arran
 1
 1
 1
 
 
 


 Borders
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
 3
 
 


 Fife
 
 
 
 1
 
 


 Forth Valley
 
 1
 1
 2
 
 


 Grampian
 5
 
 4
 5
 2
 1


 Greater Glasgow
 1
 
 4
 5
 1
 


 Highland
 
 1
 
 
 1
 


 Lanarkshire
 2
 
 
 
 
 


 Lothian
 10
 6
 11
 13
 5
 1


 Orkney
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Shetland
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Tayside
 
 
 
 
 1
 


 Western Isles
 
 
 
 
 1
 


 Total
 19
 12
 22
 29
 11
 2



  Source: R1: Residential Care Homes Survey.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what alternatives are offered to people with mental illness where the local authority does not provide day centres specifically for such people.

Malcolm Chisholm: With the development of community care, people with mental health problems have considerably greater opportunities than in the past, provided by local authorities, health boards and voluntary sector providers in a range of settings. This includes leisure, social, recreational, educational and employment activities.

  The interim report and 15 locality reports of Dr Sandra Grant’s recent national assessment of the readiness of mental health services to respond to the requirements of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 indicated considerable progress with these developments, although of course more needs to be done in some parts of the country. I expect to receive Dr Grant’s full national report in February.

NHS Funding

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was allocated to each NHS board in each of the last three years, expressed also on a per capita basis.

Malcolm Chisholm: Details are as follows:

  

 Health Board
 2001-02
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2003-04


 
 Allocation
 Per Capita
 Allocation
 Per
Capita
 Allocation
 Per
Capita


 
 £ m
 £
 £ m
 £
 £ m
 £


 Argyll and Clyde
 454.343
 1,080
 476.764
 1,139
 502.990
 1,201


 Ayrshire and Arran
 386.696
 1,050
 412.956
 1,125
 441.177
 1,202


 Borders
 111.389
 1,042
 117.690
 1,096
 125.652
 1,170


 Dumfries and Galloway
 162.489
 1,100
 173.251
 1,176
 183.578
 1,246


 Fife
 334.372
 956
 353.873
 1,009
 379.704
 1,083


 Forth Valley
 276.361
 990
 294.722
 1,055
 304.457
 1,090


 Grampian
 502.968
 956
 539.080
 1,030
 560.984
 1,072


 Greater Glasgow
 1,034.981
 1,192
 1,115.237
 1,291
 1,164.130
 1,344


 Highland
 231.063
 1,106
 246.927
 1,186
 262.769
 1,262


 Lanarkshire
 554.346
 1,002
 574.003
 1,038
 610.031
 1,103


 Lothian
 771.940
 991
 775.075
 995
 861.591
 1,106


 Orkney
 24.498
 1,275
 25.696
 1,338
 26.076
 1,357


 Shetland
 28.239
 1,286
 30.974
 1,412
 32.223
 1,469


 Tayside
 459.060
 1,181
 473.887
 1,223
 488.812
 1,262


 Western Isles
 43.869
 1,659
 46.515
 1,775
 49.447
 1,887



  Notes:

  1. The allocations for 2001-02 and 2002-03 are the final cash limited/unified budgets, and actual expenditure for demand led family health services for those years and the levels of per capita funding have been calculated using the mid year estimates of population at 30 June 2001 and 2002 respectively.

  2. The allocations for 2003-04 are cash limited/unified budgets to date and the indicative allocations for demand led family heath services. Further allocations may be made before the year end. No mid year estimates of population for 2003 are yet available, therefore the level of per capita funding has been calculated using the mid year estimates of population at 30 June 2002.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why NHS 24 has not appointed a new director of nursing given that the post has been vacant for six months.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS 24 will be advertising for a director of nursing before the end of this month. Over the past six months an interim director of nursing has been in post with full Executive status on the NHS 24 Board.

NHS Staff

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for a Nurse Executive not being appointed as a representative of the nursing profession to the board of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, given the commitment by the Minister for Health and Community Care at the RCN Scotland Conference that nurses should be represented at the highest level of all NHS bodies.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have been given assurances that the appointment of a Nurse Director to NHS Quality Improvement is a priority for them, however delays in the implementation of their new structure, of which this post is a part, has delayed this appointment. The Nurse Director of NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, who they assure me be in place by March 2004 at the latest, will serve as a full member of the senior management team, will be an Executive Director of the Board, and will report directly to the Chief Executive.

National Health Service

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-1074 by Mr Tom McCabe on 15 January 2004, which three trusts do not comply with its guidance on mixed sex hospital wards.

Malcolm Chisholm: The three remaining areas of NHSScotland which do not fully comply with the guidance are the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Lothian Primary Care Trust, and small areas in both Stobhill Hospital, in the North Glasgow University NHS Trust, and Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust. However, all trusts have been required to agree with their local health council local policies to ensure the dignity and privacy of patients is respected at all times in non-compliant wards.

Poverty

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4782 by Euan Robson on 13 January 2004, whether it considers that a household income of £13,230 represents a poverty or low income threshold.

Euan Robson: My answer to question S2W-4782 on 13 January 2004 made clear the eligibility criteria for free school meals and that the income threshold of £13,230 represents the current income threshold for Child Tax Credit, as prescribed by the Tax Credits Act 2002.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the introduction of road tolls, as has been implemented in England, would be effective in Scotland; what discussions would have to be undertaken and by whom, if road tolls were to be introduced; what powers it would have not to agree to, or to seek to vary, any tolls; to whom any revenue accrued would go, and who would be responsible for the upkeep of roads with tolls.

Nicol Stephen: There are no provisions in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 for tolling of motorways and trunk roads and no proposals to proceed with any tolling projects in Scotland.

Salmon Farming

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps could be taken to reduce the level of toxic contaminants in farmed salmon.

Allan Wilson: The Food Standards Agency, and industry, regularly monitor the levels of toxic contaminants found in farmed salmon. Both report that trace elements continue to fall and that they remain well below tolerances set by relevant international health agencies, such as the European Commission and WHO. The Scottish Executive, through the Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture, will explore with relevant bodies how trace contaminant levels can be reduced still further.

Salmon Farming

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage producers to take steps to reduce the level of toxic contaminants in farmed salmon.

Allan Wilson: The trace levels of contaminant found in farmed salmon are within international food safety standards set by European Commission and the WHO. But we are never complacent over such issues and the Scottish Executive, with relevant stakeholder bodies, will explore options for further reducing trace levels of contaminants through ongoing engagement within the Strategic Framework.

Salmon Farming

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what health checks it has made of ingredients in approved food pellets for farmed salmon.

Mr Allan Wilson: The Food Standards Agency (Scotland) is now responsible for the regulation of animal feeding stuffs in Scotland. Trading standards officers within each local authority enforce these regulations which includes sampling of animal feeding stuffs for dioxins and PCBs.

Salmon Farming

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what sources and quantities of organic food pellets are available for the farmed salmon industry, shown also as a proportion of total feed used in Scottish salmon farms, in each year since 2000.

Mr Allan Wilson: This is a matter for industry bodies, such as the UK Agriculture Supply Trades Association. The information requested is not held centrally.

Salmon Farming

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to examine options in respect of the financial viability of the salmon farming industry.

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure the continuation of sustainable salmon farming.

Mr Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has maintained close contact, and is actively engaged in dialogue, with all sectors of the salmon farming industry. The Executive is exploring a number of initiatives and options, in partnership with industry, which seek to secure the industry's economic, social and environmental long-term viability. Most of these are set out in the strategic framework.

School Transport

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure greater standards of safety in school transport by drawing up a phased timetable, with appropriate targets, to ensure that all buses contracted by local education authorities to carry children between school and home and on school trips are fitted with seatbelts.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive issued updated guidance to education authorities on school transport in August 2003. Circular 7/2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number. 29135), sets out, inter alia, the legal requirements with regard to the fitting of seat belts in vehicles used for school transport. It also encourages local authorities to consider how best to ensure that children use seat belts, where these are provided.

  It is for education authorities themselves to negotiate the terms of contracts for school transport, taking account of local circumstances.

Scottish Agricultural College

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will continue to support environmental and plant research by the Scottish Agricultural College.

Allan Wilson: Our present plans are to continue to commission environmental and plant research, and veterinary services from the Scottish Agricultural College. The Scottish Executive is currently reviewing its Strategy for Agricultural, Biological and Related Research. Future support will be guided by the outcome of this review which will be published in the spring. As part of our review we have noted significant support for veterinary services at the Scottish Agricultural College.

Scottish Agricultural College

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what future plans it has to support veterinary services at the Scottish Agricultural College.

Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5557. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Scottish Executive Funding

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to each local authority in each of the last three years, expressed also on a per capita basis and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Mr Andy Kerr: Funding allocated to each local authority in each of the last three years, expressed on a per capital basis and showing year-on-year percentage changes is shown in the following table.

  

 
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04


 
 AEF
(£m)
 per
capita
(£)
 %
 AEF
(£m)
 per
capita
(£)
 %
 AEF
(£m)
 per
capita
(£)
 %


 Aberdeen City
 213.869
 1,012
 6.8
 240.846
 1,140
 12.6
 261.420
 1,234
 8.5


 Aberdeenshire
 234.900
 1,034
 8.3
 265.484
 1,169
 13.0
 290.109
 1,278
 9.3


 Angus
 118.103
 1,082
 6.9
 135.169
 1,238
 14.5
 147.438
 1,361
 9.1


 Argyll and Bute
 121.880
 1,373
 7.4
 136.675
 1,539
 12.1
 149.062
 1,633
 9.1


 Clackmannanshire
 53.767
 1,110
 8.8
 59.813
 1,234
 11.2
 65.453
 1,362
 9.4


 Dumfries and Galloway
 176.682
 1,212
 7.8
 197.415
 1,354
 11.7
 215.781
 1,460
 9.3


 Dundee City
 191.437
 1,342
 7.1
 211.987
 1,486
 10.7
 228.603
 1,572
 7.8


 East Ayrshire
 139.253
 1,154
 6.4
 155.264
 1,287
 11.5
 168.268
 1,399
 8.4


 East Dunbartonshire
 107.465
 970
 9.7
 120.776
 1,090
 12.4
 132.321
 1,222
 9.6


 East Lothian
 91.223
 999
 6.6
 103.433
 1,133
 13.4
 113.656
 1,260
 9.9


 East Renfrewshire
 88.622
 987
 10.4
 100.956
 1,124
 13.9
 109.869
 1,229
 8.8


 Edinburgh, City of
 458.071
 1,010
 6.3
 518.233
 1,143
 13.1
 564.873
 1,258
 9.0


 Eilean Siar
 76.023
 2,797
 5.5
 80.901
 2,976
 6.4
 85.978
 3,251
 6.3


 Falkirk
 159.543
 1,105
 10.0
 177.586
 1,231
 11.3
 193.405
 1,331
 8.9


 Fife
 379.529
 1,083
 7.6
 420.990
 1,201
 10.9
 462.736
 1,323
 9.9


 Glasgow City
 895.253
 1,469
 7.9
 975.334
 1,601
 8.9
 1,040.033
 1,797
 6.6


 Highland
 273.989
 1,313
 7.6
 309.338
 1,483
 12.9
 333.970
 1,599
 8.0


 Inverclyde
 107.371
 1,269
 6.3
 119.276
 1,410
 11.1
 129.746
 1,542
 8.8


 Midlothian
 90.030
 1,095
 10.1
 99.292
 1,208
 10.3
 109.905
 1,358
 10.7


 Moray
 97.450
 1,147
 8.0
 107.878
 1,270
 10.7
 117.972
 1,356
 9.4


 North Ayrshire
 161.061
 1,160
 7.9
 179.100
 1,290
 11.2
 194.586
 1,433
 8.6


 North Lanarkshire
 374.873
 1,144
 8.4
 413.116
 1,261
 10.2
 447.675
 1,394
 8.4


 Orkney
 43.119
 2,214
 7.0
 46.212
 2,372
 7.2
 49.410
 2,571
 6.9


 Perth & Kinross
 139.107
 1,041
 7.0
 159.048
 1,190
 14.3
 175.177
 1,298
 10.1


 Renfrewshire
 198.109
 1,119
 6.7
 220.044
 1,243
 11.1
 241.047
 1,395
 9.5


 Scottish Borders
 126.316
 1,182
 6.6
 143.418
 1,342
 13.5
 156.643
 1,465
 9.2


 Shetland
 62.219
 2,773
 6.9
 66.182
 2,949
 6.4
 70.741
 3,221
 6.9


 South Ayrshire
 119.803
 1,052
 6.8
 135.639
 1,191
 13.2
 147.434
 1,314
 8.7


 South Lanarkshire
 338.601
 1,101
 7.9
 377.272
 1,227
 11.4
 408.275
 1,350
 8.2


 Stirling
 98.083
 1,151
 9.4
 110.848
 1,301
 13.0
 120.915
 1,403
 9.1


 West Dunbartonshire
 123.778
 1,308
 9.7
 135.502
 1,432
 9.5
 146.596
 1,571
 8.2


 West Lothian
 170.496
 1,088
 7.3
 189.429
 1,209
 11.1
 206.727
 1,300
 9.1

Scottish Natural Heritage

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of each component of the cost of relocating the headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage to Inverness, detailing the assumptions upon which each is based, with particular reference to its estimate regarding (a) obtaining new premises in Inverness, (b) human resource costs, detailing separately any (i) redundancy, (ii) relocation and (iii) transport costs, (c) when the new premises will be occupied and (d) the estimated gross and net sale proceeds for existing premises that will no longer be required.

Allan Wilson: The Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) wrote to the Parliament’s Finance Committee on 10 November 2003 with details of the cost estimates for various aspects of the relocation included in SNH’s project plan. As Tavish Scott made clear to the Finance Committee on 13 January, the SNH project plan is currently under discussion between SNH and the Executive. That remains the position. It is therefore premature to comment on specific costs or timings at this stage.

Student Loans

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications would be for its income flow for each financial year from April 2005 if the income threshold at which graduates start to repay their student loans was to be raised to (a) £15,000, (b) £19,000 or (c) £25,000 per annum.

Mr Jim Wallace: Future repayments (and therefore the resource cost) are difficult to forecast as they depend on a wide range of factors. Our best estimate are that raising the repayment threshold to £15,000 would increase the resource cost to Scottish Executive by around £17 million. That is the combined cost to the Executive of subsidising loans and non-repayment. Raising the repayment threshold to £19,000 would increase costs by around £49 million whilst setting a £25,000 threshold would increase costs by around £102 million.

  In each case we assume that the repayment threshold is increased from 2005 and then up-rated in line with inflation for each subsequent year.

  Officials in the Scottish Executive and DfES are currently working to refine the model of student repayments to identify what the effects would be on annual income flows.

Taxis

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responded to the report by the Office of Fair Trading The regulation of licensed taxi and services in the UK and, if not, when it will respond.

Mr Andy Kerr: Scottish ministers have not yet responded to the Office of Fair Trading’s Report "The Regulation of Licensed Taxi and Private Hire Car Services in the UK" and, although not statutorily required to do so, have agreed to submit their response by 10 March 2004.

Taxis

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received in relation to its invitation for comments on the report by the Office of Fair Trading The regulation of licensed taxi and private services in the UK.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has received comments from a number of interested parties including local authorities, taxi trade representative bodies and individual taxi owners and drivers, disability groups, the Scottish Consumer Council, the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland and the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland. A number of representations have also been received from MSPs.

Transport

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the breakdown is of its planned expenditure on public transport in each year from 2003-04 to 2006-07, detailing all projects of over £10 million.

Nicol Stephen: The capital costs of projects depend on the prices achieved through tendering and these are affected by both the market at the time and the type of contract awarded. It may be some time before tendering exercises begin for a number of the projects proposed in Partnership for a better Scotland . It is therefore difficult to accurately predict the total expenditure on projects.

  Information on the overall budgets for 2003-04 to 2005-06 is contained in the Scottish Executive Draft Budget 2004-05 published in September 2003.

  The budget for 2006-07 will be set in the next spending review to be published in autumn 2004.

  A table setting out the timetable for major projects approval and construction is available in the Reference Centre (Bib. number. 29830).

Transport

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a scheme of national bus, rail and ferry concessionary travel for older people, as it plans for younger people in accordance with the Transport Act 1985 and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-1613 on 20 August 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Transport

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the second supplementary to question S2F-412 by Mr Jack McConnell on 4 December 2003, what steps it is taking to ensure the delivery of quality bus services and the implementation of quality bus contracts.

Nicol Stephen: A range of measures is in place and planned to encourage quality bus services. These measures include:

  The toolkit of options contained in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 for local transport authorities to revitalise local bus services. This toolkit includes quality partnerships and quality contracts;

  The partnership agreement commitment to pilot a new Bus Route Development Fund to promote particular under-used routes through enhanced frequency and marketing;

  Expenditure through the Public Transport Fund and Rural Public Transport Fund on bus improvement and rural public transport services.

Wildlife

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many indigenous species are considered to be endangered.

Allan Wilson: Under the internationally accepted categories and criteria developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in 2001, there are 101 indigenous species in Scotland which are regarded as "endangered" or "critically endangered". This includes 32 mosses and liverworts, 20 lichens, 22 fungi, 3 stoneworts, 11 plants, 10 insects, 2 molluscs and 1 crustacean.